Again and again, it’s the rare among humans that help the rest of us. The exploration of human genetics is revealing new targets to combat heart disease among atypical variants. Mutations in genes that play a role in heart health are the inspiration for a cluster of new heart drugs.

In a large analysis of genetic data, a team has first looked into what causes type 2 diabetes (T2D) and second clarified how T2D and coronary heart disease (CHD) -- the two diseases that are the leading cause of global morbidity and mortality, are linked.

10 to 20 percent of patients taking statins report muscle-related symptoms including aches, pains and cramps that prevent the use of recommended doses. Patients who have difficulty taking statins have a high risk of cardiovascular events, resulting in higher health care costs. To address these concerns, researchers are providing approaches to optimize cardiovascular risk reduction for these patients.

Metabolically healthy obese adults consuming a diet high in unsaturated fat and low in saturated fat may be able to decrease their total cholesterol by 10 points, a new study suggests. However, there was little research evidence to support current dietary recommendations that replacing saturated fat with unsaturated fat aids in weight loss, the researchers also reported.

Investigators have announced results of a clinical trial culminating from 25 years of cardiovascular research work. The team reports a significant reduction in risk of recurrent heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular death among participants who received a targeted anti-inflammatory drug that lowered inflammation but had no effects on cholesterol.

PCSK9 inhibition could ameliorate atherosclerosis and thus cardiovascular disease by immune mechanisms that are unrelated to lowering of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, according to new research.

A 14 year study in more than one million people has found that women with high cholesterol have significantly lower rates of breast cancer and improved mortality. The research suggests that statins are associated with lower rates of breast cancer and subsequent mortality.